New recruit of the female kind
by lunacorns14
Summary: New recruit Cleo is a beautiful penguin with a surprising background. When she joins the team, Kowalski and Skipper both fall for her, bound to cause some trouble... I HAVE NOW DONE CHAPTER 13! INCLUDES ARGUMENTS, FIGHTS AND UNEXPECTED TWISTS! please review
1. Chapter 1- Mission Abberation!

**Chapter 1-**

The walls shook and the ground quaked. The penguins had just encountered a one on four battle with , who had just set off the self destruct mode on his latest evil lair. They were a bolt away from the exit, when there was a shout for help. Kowalski stopped and turned back. The walls began to crumble..

"Kowalski! This is no time for you to be admiring Blowhole's technology!" Skipper shouted anxiously, stopping in his tracks.

"I'm not skipper, I thought I heard a voice..." Kowalski frowned, straining to hear through the sounds of falling bricks.

"Please, quick! Help!" The voice shouted again, sounding even more distressed.

"That! Did you hear it Skipper?!" Kowalski gasped.

Skipper slid forward and stood up next Kowalski. He squinted his eyes to see through the cloud of demolition dust, then widened them in shock. He could faintly see a cage shaking from the ceiling from which it hung.

"Quick, Kowalski, follow me!" Skipper ordered, sliding on his belly towards the cage.

They scaled the tumbling walls and then perched on the outside of the cage. Skipper was in deep concentration but then was distracted when he caught eye contact with a beautiful penguin lady, whose eyelashes battered in admiration. Kowalski's voice bought Skipper back to the situation.

"It's a lock, I need a paper clip to pick it"

"Damb it Kowalski, times like this I wish Rico had your brains" Skipper sighed.

Private and Rico had continued to the exit, so they thought. They had returned after realising the other half o their team hadn't come out.

"Skipper, Kowalski! Jump down!" Private called, while Rico regurgitated a stick of dynamite and threw it at the chain.

It exploded and the chain snapped, allowing the cage to fall, which broke open when it hit the floor. The penguin girl rolled out of the cage and up onto her feet skilfully, and if they weren't too busy sprinting to the exit, the team would've been impressed. They leaped out of the lair just in time as the walls caved in and just left a pile of rubble and a dust cloud. Skipper got up to his feet and dusted himself off. The lady penguin stood in front of him, with a flipper rested on her hip, her sleek body glistened in the sunlight due to her silky feathers.

"I appreciate the rescue" She smiled, looking him up and down, "but don't get accustomed to it"

"No problem, miss" Skipper said smoothly, raising an eye brow with a smirk, "what's your name?"

"The name's Cleo," She looked behind Skipper at the others who smiled sweetly, "do you mind introducing me to the team?"

Cleo walked towards the others, Kowalski smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"This is Kowalski, Private and Rico, and I'm Skipper"

"Interesting" She smiled sweetly, looking Kowalski up and down, "Would you mind if I stayed with you guys for a bit?"

"Not at all" Skipper and Kowalski in unison, before looking at each other confused and a little embarrassed.

"Great! I look forward to my stay" Cleo grinned, leading the way, yet she didn't no where she was going.

stay tuned for chapter 2! going to get very interesting indeed!


	2. Chapter 2- Is she to be trusted?

**Chapter 2-**

They all showed interest in their new guest and invited her into their HQ. Kowalski seemed to be making a grand impression on Cleo, but Skipper, though undoubtedly love-struck, he began to become suspicious of her background and knowledge of secret gadgets.

"Excuse my paranoia miss, but...are you a spy?"

"Skipper! You can't just come out with such an accusation!" Kowalski cried out hurt by Skipper's comment of Cleo.

"It's okay, Kowalski" She smiled at his protectiveness, "Actually, I am a spy" . Their faces dropped in shock, and they all looked at her gone out.

"Do you mind explaining who for?" whimpered Private nervously, who broke the silence.

"I was a spy for , my mission was constantly to keep an eye on one of his top enemy, Hans. I spied on him for ages, only to find that he was never actually plotting anything against Blowhole. However, when I put this to him, he got angry and thought that I was betraying him to go on Hans' side. That's how I ended up in that cage, then you guys came in and I realised Blowhole should've assigned me to spy on you, some actual enemies!"

The team members shuffled on the stop awkwardly.

"Oh, but don't worry, I am done with working for Blowhole! He has all these gadgets yet the worker's facilities are awful"

"I knew he didn't have all the latest stuff" Kowalski grinned.

"How can we be certain that we can trust you? Kowalski OPTIONS!" Skipper ordered, eyeing up Cleo.

"Well, other then believing her total innocent looks, we could try out my 'lie-and-truth-separator-tron' that I invented"

"Lie-and-truth-separ...Why don't you just call it a lie detector?" Private questioned.

"Because that's already been used! You know how I feel about the internet with all it's knowledge of everything!" grumbled Kowalski.

"Is it reliable though, Kowalski?" Skipper said doubtfully, raising his eye brow.

"Pfft! Needed you ask? Of course it is!" Kowalski grinned, placing his flippers on his hips and raising his head high.

"Right, go get it set up. Sorry miss, but we're going to have to check if we can trust you before you stay any longer" Skipper explained.

"It's fine, can never be too paranoid, right?" She smiled, using a line that Skipper used often himself, not that she knew, "Besides, I'm not hiding anything, so this is going to be a breeze" Cleo walked into Kowalski's lab where he was setting up the lie-and-truth-separator-tron.

Skipper sighed with delight. "She seems so smooth about everything" he admired, under his breath.

"What was that Skipper?" Private asked. Looking surprised, Skipper turned to face Private.

"Nothing, Private. Nothing.."

* * *

They all joined Kowalski and Cleo, who was hooked up to the lie-and-truth-separator-tron.

"Right, let's start with a simple question to check the machine is working. What's..one plus one?" Kowalski started, asking the easiest thing he could come up with.

"Two" Cleo replied confidently.

The machine beeped and glowed green. Cleo smirked and raised an eye brow.

"Now, onto the real questions" Skipper grinned.

The lighting dimmed to create tension, but the sudden change made Private jump, and nervously he hid behind Rico.

"Are you planning to give information you find out about us to ?" Skipper asked.

"No" she replied.

The machine beeped and glowed green.

"Are you here to create enemies of us?" Skipper questioned.

"No, just to stay until I get a safe place of my own" she explain.

Kowalski hid his grin behind his flipper as he blushed slightly. The machine beeped and glowed green once again.

"So you aren't following an evil scheme or _or_ your own?"

"Not at all"

The machine beeped and glowed green once more.

"It's a clean test, Cleo's a reliable spy like us" Kowalski beamed.

"Like you guys 'ay? That doesn't sound like a too bad idea" Cleo smiled.

"What? You want to join the force? You'll have to complete a series of elaborate tests before you can come on missions" Skipper explained.

"Have you forgotten? I've already passed my spy training, and seen as you should be able to trust me now...I'd say I've fine to join already" she said, making a point, which Skipper usually hated, yet he found the way she said it some what attractive.

"I suppose, for now you can be a private, like Private, but we'll still call you Cleo" Skipper reluctantly sighed, happily.

Cleo chuckled, before looking across to her left as Kowalski stood by her side, his flipper on her back.

"Come'on, I'll show you round" Kowalski smiled, pushing her gently forward.

"Oh, a guided tour," she beamed.

"We'll be back in a bit" Kowalski called behind him.

Skipper raised his eye brow in suspicion and scratched his chin with his flipper. He thought deeply to himself.

"No, no way.." he gasped, narrowing his eyes.

"What was that Skipper?" Private asked.

"NOTHING, once again Private, it's nothing that concerns you" Skipper sighed, shaking his head and walking away.

Hope your enjoying it so far, chapter 3 is coming soon. Please review your thoughts and whether you think Kowalski and Cleo are a good match or Skipper and Cleo. Stay tuned for more interesting events, missions, and a little l'amour ;)


	3. Chapter 3- Truth's Out!

**Chapter 3-**

A few weeks past. It became apparent to Skipper that the trips out between Cleo and Kowalski happened on a frequent occasion. Skipper could feel that he liked her, but he was far to proud to admit such a thing. He sat alone in HQ after sending Rico and Private out to retrieve snow cones.

"He can't like her...Surely not..." Skipper muttered, pacing a little.

He scratched his chin in thought.

"She's sciencey enough for him, and obviously shows interest in his gizmos and what not...But she loves brutal combat and action, like me! I suppose Kowalski does too though..." He ranted before letting out a forlorn sigh. "The signs are obvious. He likes her and she likes him..."

He put on a brave face, took a breath in and puffed out his chest.

"And I know the right thing to do" He said, half smiling.

* * *

The team, including Cleo, went on a mission, which lead them into going onto the streets of New York. King Julien had somehow got his tail caught on the bumper of a car while trying to retrieve a shiny coin that he liked and claimed.

"Target at 3'Oclock" Skipper announced, peering through the binoculars from behind a wall.

"How are we going to get Julien? He's stuck to the car's bumper real tight!" Private whimpered.

Rico regurgitated a crow bar and held in in his flippers.

"Perfect" Skipper praised, "Let's roll, men!"

Skipper, Rico and Private leapt onto the car as it passed. The clung onto the bumper and Sipper pulled the others up. Using the crowbar, Rico placed it between the bumper and the car and pulled it to create a gap. King Julien's tail was released from the bumper and he tumbled down onto the road.

"Kowalski, work out which direction it is back to the zoo" Skipper ordered, with a smirk on his face.

"Erm...Skipper..." Private started.

"Yes Private?"

"Kowalski, isn't here..."

Skipper's face dropped. The aborted the plan to take the car as a lift home and jumped off it.

"Sound off, Kowalski!" Skipper demanded with a frown.

The penguins sneakily moved through the streets of New York, heading back in the direction they had come from. They found Kowalski, and Cleo for that matter, in the back street they had been before clinging to the car. Cleo was leant against the wall, her flippers behind her back with a smile on her face, chuckling softly, while Kowalski stood in front of her, slightly to the left, with his left flipper resting against the wall. He also grinned at her.

"Kowalski, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know you weren't joining us in the mission" Skipper scolded, his flippers placed on his hips.

"Oh...erm...Sorry Skipper..." Kowalski stuttered, turning to face his team mates, instead of gazing into Cleo's sparkling blue eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and shuffled towards the group. Cleo marched over to them too, and stood in between Skipper and Kowalski.

"Sorry for distracting your strategist" She smiled sweetly, looking at Skipper. He smiled back at her. He knew she wasn't deeply sorry, but he wasn't going to bully her until she gave a more sympathetic apology.

"Don't worry about it, let's just get home".

* * *

They returned to HQ. Cleo and Kowalski were about to go out again, but Skipper stopped them.

"Halt a second, soldiers" He started. Cleo and Kowalski turned round slowly. "I'd like to speak to you a minuet Kowalski...Alone".

Kowalski looked down to Cleo.

"It's okay" She reassured, "Private, Rico, Let's go and..umm..."

"Blow up things! Kaboom!" Rico spluttered, excitedly. Private looked worried.

"Can't we do something less violent..." He urged.

"Well, you two are polar opposites!" She giggled, "Right, let's go to park"

"And watch butterflies!" Private beamed.

"Yeah sure, why not.." Cleo shrugged, as they turned to walk out of HQ. She heard Rico groan. "It's okay," She whispered to him, "I'll let you drive us there".

Rico perked up. He loved driving, especially _really _fast. Skipper watched them climb out of the hatch, before turning to Kowalski who was now stood next to him.

"I know your secret" Skipper smirked, starting to pace.

"Secret? But Skipper, what secret?" Kowalski replied innocently.

That's what I want you to tell me, I don't think its fair to just spring it up on you. Although, I will if you refuse to tell me"

"But I honestly don't know what you mean...Oh wait..Are you referring to..?" Kowalski suddenly looked guilty.

Skipper nodded with a grin.

"I'm sorry Skipper, I know you told me to get rid of Jiggles but I just thought..." Kowalski confessed.

Skipper widened his eyes and interrupted the taller penguin.

"What? No! I mean I know you like Cleo!" He stated.

The room fell into an awkward silence. Kowalski cleared his throat.

"Oh..."

"Jiggles?!" Skipper suddenly shouted, as if it had only just sunken it, "You mean to say that you still have that monster mutant jelly?!"

"Ah...Yes...But he's only so very tiny now"

"Enough! That's not the subject I wanted to discuss" Skipper said, putting he conversation back on track. "You like Cleo, right?"

Kowalski gulped and rubbed his flipper against his other. "N..No..."

"Don't lie to me soldier!" Skipper raised his voice. Kowalski's eyes were cast downwards.

"I mean..yes..." he corrected himself.

Skipper smirked, "I knew it!" He boasted.

Kowalski continued to avoid eye contact. Skipper broke the awkwardness with a chuckle.

"It's okay, Kowalski! I think you and her..Well, you go together like Rico and Miss Perky"

"Are we really such a bazar couple...? Kowalski glanced up, with worried eyes.

Skipper shook his head. "I mean you go together well, that was the only couple I could think of off the top of my head. Give me a break, Kowalski"

"Sorry, sir..." Kowalski sighed, still looking at the ground. Skipper rolled his eyes and marched over to Kowalski, putting a flipper around the taller penguin's shoulder.

"Kowalski, you _will_ be reassured by my words. You and her, fine by me. Just don't let it distract your mission work. Now on my mark, be reassured. Mark"

Kowalski looked at Skipper will hopeful eyes. He stood up tall and looked proud.

"Don't you worry, Skipper, it won't" He smiled, although a look of deep thought swept across his face.

"And don't you worry, I've got a plan".

Stay tuned for chapter 4! Why did Skipper let Kowalski have the opportunity of being with Cleo instead of taking it himself? What are they planning to help Kowalski be accepted by Cleo? Find out next time! Will include more action, romance scenes and humour.


	4. Chapter 4- Operation Big Date

**Chapter 4-**

With the sun just beginning to set over the horizon, painting the sky in abundance of orange tones, Private, Rico and Cleo made their way back to HQ. Skipper saw them approach.

"Miss Cleo" He smirked, waddling towards her, putting his flippers round her shoulder and turning her in the opposite direction. Cleo half smiled and removed his flipper from her before turning to face him.

"Enough with the 'miss', why so formal?" She questioned, standing in front of him to stop him from walking forth. Skipper gazed into her twinkling eyes. A smile grew on his face, but he shook off the obvious expressions.

"I'm sorry mis...Cleo" He corrected himself, after Cleo gave him a stern look, "Anyway, I'd like you to go on your _own_ special mission".

He continued to march forward as he walked passed her. Skipper stopped after a few strides, anticipating an answer.

"What mission?" Cleo replied, curiously, turning back to face him. Skipper grinned before turning back to her.

"You know, a way that I can assess that your really up to the job" He lied. _'If she's anything like me, she will_ defiantly_ fall for this'_ Skipper thought.

"I think you know as well as I do that I'm up for any mission, but just for peace of mind, I'll do it!" She announced with conviction, "What do you want me to do?"

"You see up there?" Skipper said, standing next to her and pointing up at a building in the distance with a flat roof. "Your 'mission' is to go up on to the roof and retrieve the rose that's there".

"You've put a rose up there for me to get? A little soppy, I'd think, for your taste Skipper, but who am I to judge?" She teased, before winking and sliding to her destination. Skipper watched her disappear into the distance. Then, he pulled out his walk-e-talkie.

"She's on her way, are you ready?"

"Ay-ay Skipper!" Kowalski's voice came from the other end of the device, "It's all ready".

"Good job, Kowalski. Now, enjoy" He ended the call. Skipper strolled back to the HQ to join Private and Rico. He let out a saddened sigh but smiled to assure himself that he had done the right thing.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cleo used suction cups to scale the building. As she neared the top, she flipped onto the roof top. Suddenly, her face dropped. She stared at the other end of the flat roof to see Kowalski stood next to a crate with a checked blanket covered over it. It was used as a table and had two fresh fish placed on plates. Cleo noticed a pot in the middle of the table, which had a rose in it.

"So are you apart of my mission? Are we meant to spar or something?" She smirked, as she approached Kowalski.

"Erm...No?" He hesitated.

"Ah, good choice," Cleo winked, as she grabbed the rose, "Now to take this back to prove myself".

Kowalski chuckled.

"What? This _is_ it, isn't it?" she continued, with a confused frown.

"It's not what your here for..." Kowalski explained.

"A decoy!" She exclaimed, throwing the rose to the floor, "It makes sense now, the test would be if I fell for it!"

Kowalski let out another giggle. Cleo looked at him.

"It's a set up...Your not here for a mission, but...to dine with me" He smiled.

Cleo stared at him, the sun set's colours reflecting in her eyes. He beamed down at her and placed his flipper on her back. He gently ushered her forward to the table. They looked at each other longingly across the table as they ate and chatted. As the sun disappeared to hide behind night's cover and the stars came out of hiding, they sat together at the edge of the roof top, Cleo's head resting on Kowalski's shoulder, and his on her head. They heard music blasting from a window below.

"Oh, I love this song" Cleo admired. Kowalski grinned at her as he got the his feet and put out his flipper. She looked up at him and took his flipper. He pulled her up and held her close, their chests together. They waltzed to the song on the roof top in the moonlight. As the song ended, he leaned her down in his flippers. They stared at one another with heavy eyelids, drooping them as they leaned their beaks closer to each others. They kissed in the glistening beams of the moon and had no intentions of pulling away any time soon.

Meanwhile, a back at HQ, Skipper felt a shudder run down his spine.

"Where's Kowalski, Skipper?" Private asked.

Skipper stared into his mug of coffee. He stayed mute. '_Maybe I should be the one dating her...?' _he thought, regretting that he had helped his companion.

Stay tuned for chapter 5! It's going to get very interesting with surprising twists and turns! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, that was due to school work -_- What will happen from here with Cleo and Kowalski? What is Skipper going to do about his undeniable feelings for Cleo? Please stay tuned and review! :)


	5. Chapter 5- Trouble's Brewing

**Chapter 5-**

Kowalski and Cleo returned, their flippers around each other, laughing hysterically as the jumped through the hatch into HQ.

"Where have you been?!" Skipper groaned, jumping out of his bunk, placing his flippers firmly on his hips, "It's late!"

Private also jumped down from his bunk. "You two look like you've had fun".

Kowalski put his flipper around Cleo and pulled her closer, looking down at her and beaming as they exchanged loving looks. "I would like to re-introduce Cleo, as now she is my girlfriend".

Rico snored loudly, still in deep sleep, and rolled over to face the wall. Skipper's face dropped, but quickly disguised his shock when Private's voice bought him back from thought.

"Awh! That is _so_ sweet!" Private cooed, bringing his flipper's together and swayed in delight.

Kowalski felt pleased with his announcement. He let a yawn slip out of his beak.

"Hit the bunks men, we've got an early start with training tomorrow" Skipper demanded. Private obediently leaped back into his bunk, followed by Kowalski, who kissed Cleo on the forehead softly before going to his bunk. He fell asleep fast, contented with his date. Cleo waddled towards her bunk, which Rico had carved in the wall for her when she first arrived. Her bunk was close to the floor, on the right next to the other stack of four bunks.

"Good night" She called, laying down and shutting her eyes.

Skipper let out a held in sigh. '_Maybe I should get some shut eye...'_ he thought.

* * *

**_03:00am._**

Cleo's eyes flickered open. She sat up in her bunk, rubbing her head. She suddenly felt that she was being observed. The female penguin slowly turned her head to see Skipper, sat at the stone table drinking coffee from his mug. She got to her feet.

"Your up early" The leader penguin stated, taking a sip from his mug.

"Could say the same about you" She grinned, walking towards the table.

Skipper put his mug down and looked at her, his head slightly cocked to one side. Cleo frowned and then smiled awkwardly.

"What?"

"Nothing..." Skipper replied in defence, after shaking himself back to reality.

"No, tell me" Cleo grinned, seeing that he was hiding something from her knowledge. She walked round to his side of the table.

"Nothing, honestly.." Skipper continued, a smirk growing on his face as he lied. He stood up from his chair and backed away. Cleo raised an eye brow in suspicion, walking towards Skipper.

"Don't lie to me, Skipper"

A shudder of lust run down his spine as she said his name. He stopped backing away and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What are you hiding?" She persisted.

Skipper bit the bottom of his beak and cast his gaze to the floor, avoiding eye contact with Cleo. He then looked to the bunks where his team mates were still deep in slumber. Cleo took one step closer and stood with a flipper on her hip. Skipper slowly made his eyes scan up her body to eventually meet her eyes. He blinked hard and smirked. Cleo smiled back, still in the same stance with her eye brow raised. Skipper dazed on what stood before him. _'...Go for it...'_

Suddenly, he stepped forward and held Cleo in his flippers. A shocked expression swept across her face. Skipper pulled her closer and placed his beak to hers, kissing her passionately. Cleo's shocked eyes began to droop in bliss. _'This is so wrong...'_ she thought, yet neglected to resist. Skipper held her a little closer, but Cleo shook her head out of the kiss, brought her flippers to his chest and pushed him away as she stepped back. She stood and stared at her feet, her cheeks blushing crimson. The leader penguin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. A snore came from Kowalski. Cleo's eyes bared a look of betrayal. She blinked hard and waddled to her bunk. Skipper could see how upset she was, the look was etched on her face. However, he felt just as guilty as she did.

"Kowalski can't know about this..." he sighed, downhearted.

Cleo, who was already laid in he bunk facing the wall, nodded slowly. She shielded the tears that were streaming down her face from Skipper's view. Skipper's gaze remained on her, despite her back turned on him. He sighed. _'What have I done...?'_

Chapter 6 coming soon! Please review! Stay tuned find out- Will Skipper or Cleo tell Kowalski what happened? Will Cleo and Kowalski last? What will happen with the friendship between Skipper and Kowalski? Will this be a recurring thing or a one off? I hope your enjoying it so far:)


	6. Chapter 6- Where's the Skipper?

**Chapter 6-**

**05:00**. The penguins woke up and sprung out of their bunks. Kowalski, Private and Rico stood in line ready and waiting to receive orders from their commanding officer. Private suddenly frowned after glancing around to see that their leader wasn't instructing them.

"Erm...Skipper?" he called, staining to hear a response. Private looked anxiously at Rico, who shrugged in confusion. Kowalski climbed the ladder and peered into he top bunk.

"Skipper isn't there" he said, with a bewildered tone. He waddled briskly over to Cleo, who was still huddled up in her bunk. Kowalski shook her gently. "Cleo...Have you seen Skipper".

Cleo's quizzical eyes flew open and she leaped to her feet. She burst out of her sullen mood.

"Have I seen him? No! Of course I haven't! You saw me, I was asleep!"

Kowalski looked at her with a sardonic smile. "Of course, no need to look so roughish, I know you haven't done anything wrong. It's not as if you've kidnapped him and stored him somewhere". He chuckled to himself with a snort. Private looked at Rico with concerned eyes. Rico frowned and regurgitated a crowbar. Menacingly, he marched toward Cleo, growling and hitting the crowbar into his other flipper. Kowalski shook off his laughter. He smacked the weapon from Rico's flippers.

"Enough of your psychotic-ness! Let's just go find Skipper" Kowalski ordered, taking charge. Kowalski and Private headed to the ladders, making their way out of HQ. Rico watched them leave before scowling at Cleo. In the short time Cleo had been with the team, she had realised that Rico had a strong attachment and nature to protect Skipper. Cleo walked past him, ignoring his frown, and climbed up through the hatch. She saw Kowalski pacing, his flipper placed beneath his beak in thought. Cleo smiled. Her deep-rooted love for him was exquisite. However, the warm feeling she felt inside was extinguished by the guilt of betraying him last night. She didn't intend for it to happen, yet she didn't stop it from happening.

"He wouldn't just disappear like that" Private remarked.

"The only time he does is when he goes on his solo missions" Kowalski replied, stopping to face Private. Cleo waddled over and stood next to Private.

"Maybe your over thinking this, he could have just gone for a walk, or have gone to get snow cones" She suggested.

Kowalski pondered. "Yes, I guess we could check the park first".

* * *

Rico joined them for the mission to find Skipper. The mission wasn't as complex as if Skipper would've ordered it. They simply scaled the wall and vaulted over to the park. Sure enough, Skipper was walking through the park, seeming to be making his way towards the zoo. Private called him over.

"What are you all doing here? Are you spying on me" Skipper asked, his tenacious paranoia taking over.

"No, we were looking for you" Kowalski reassured.

"We were worried when we saw that you weren't in your bunk" inputted Private. Cleo remained silent, looking awkward. Her expression was ill-concealed, not that it was noticed by anyone.

"Oh..." Skipper started, feeling embarrassed by his own accusation, "I went to the main penguin agent head quarters, to tell the bosses about our new recruit."

Cleo looked at Skipper with a smile but, when they caught gazes, she averted her eyes.

"Where is that then?" Private questioned.

"That's top secret information, Private. Too private for a Private" Skipper clarified. Private frowned in confusion, riddled by Skipper's extensive use of the same word. Kowalski opened his beak to speak but Skipper hushed him.

"Only the commanding officer of each team can know, sometimes not even them".

"Well, now that's all clear" Kowalski sighed, breaking the silence from Skipper's comment, "We best head back."

Private an Kowalski lead the way, Cleo and Skipper lagging behind.

"So what did they say about me" She asked, curious. Cleo kept her gaze forward, away from Skipper.

"They said they were aware of you being a spy, apparently your identity was lost for a while but, now I've made it clear your apart of our team, they have filled it into your file" he explained.

Cleo fell silent. Her past was just as mysterious as Skipper's, and was more so unwilling to share. There was an awkward blanket of silence that hovered over them. Skipper struggled for words.

"They said your a great agent...A real pearl to the team..."

"Skipper...I can't do this any more..."

"What do you mean?" He quizzed, ignoring his assumptions of what it was about.

"I can't go on pretending nothing ever happened. The truth is, is that I'm with Kowalski. And I love him, yes, I love him ever so much. But I should've stopped that kiss. That's were this guilt is coming from..."

"What are you implying, miss?" Skipper voiced, grabbing her flipper gently to stop her. They both stood still, looking at one another with saddened eyes.

"I'm saying, and lord help me cause your going to feel so smug.., I enjoyed that kiss," Cleo stuttered. Skipper smirked, his pride restored. "But it can _never _happen again..."

Cleo turned to walk away. Skipper took hold of her flipper again, twirling her round to pull her back and holding her in his flippers. He had her leant back in his flippers, supporting her back.

"What if it feels right?" he flirted, looking down at her with drooped eyelids. By now Private and Kowalski were long out of their sight. Cleo gripped her flippers round his back, purely to stop herself from falling so recited in her head. She frowned.

"Never again" She asserted, pushing him away as she bought herself to an upright stance, "It felt so wrong."

"But, at the same time, so right."

"That's beside my point!"

"But you said it yourself" Skipper persisted, arguing back but with a loving tone in his voice. Cleo removed his flippers from her, with an angry expression on her face.

"Look, I am prepared to move on from this, like it never happened, now I've gotten it off my chest. I suggest you move on too. Every time you act like this, your risking your friendship with Kowalski"

"Kowalski will never know!" Skipper chuckled, "Though he's smart, he's useless with detecting the obvious".

"The obvious? There's nothing _obvious_ about us" Cleo growled.

"I could see it coming" he smirked.

"Would you stop! I'm serious. I'm on the brink of telling him what has happened"

"NO! You can't. It would break his heart...As your commanding officer, I command you NOT to tell him. And as a soldier, your expected to abide by that"

"And as a girlfriend, I am expected to tell the truth..." Cleo snapped, walking away briskly back to HQ. Skipper was unsure whether she was going to tell Kowalski or not. The only thing he knew is that she had the last word, something he wold usually hate, yet he found it appealing in Cleo. He sighed in admiration, before his worry began to sink in. _'At all costs, Kowalski must not find out...' _he thought, making his way back at a slow pace.

Chapter 7 will be on the way soon. I hope your enjoying it so far, please review your thoughts on it. Next time- Will Cleo tell Kowalski? Will their friendship be damaged? Will Skipper back off?


	7. Chapter 7- It's going down

***Seems a long chapter but most is speech***

**Chapter 7-**

As Cleo jumped through the hatch into HQ, she realised that they still had the rest of the day. She was furious at the fact that Skipper could've even have tried to be romantic with her once again. Cleo saw Kowalski, pacing the grounds of HQ, no doubt dreaming up a new invention. She allowed a smile grow on her face. Cleo let her anger slip. _'Accidents can happen twice...' _she assured her mind. Kowalski noticed her and shook himself to reality, waddling towards her will a smile.

"Do you want to do something? Go, out, just you and me?". Cleo beamed up at him and nodded gently. As they made their way toward the ladders, Skipper jumped down through the hatch. He acknowledged them with a polite nod, but averted his gaze to the ground. Before Kowalski and Cleo had chance to even start climbing the ladder, there was a sharp high pitched siren, that pierced through the silence. Private jumped to coward behind Rico, who had regurgitated a grenade gun and held it to his defence. Kowalski and Cleo looked at each other and then at Skipper, whose flippers clenched into a fist and narrowed his eyes.

"HANS!"

* * *

They immediately sprung to the weapons chamber, all in karate poses. Sure enough, Hans was there, where he usually appeared when he wanted to steal the penguins gadgets.

"Ah, Skipper, my old chum" he smirked, possessing a devious tone in his voice.

"Stand down, Hans, you're outnumbered!" Skipper ordered, stepping forward, out of the line of his team. Hans smirked.

"Yes...but your out weaponed!" he exclaimed, holding out his weapon of choice; a fresh Atlantic salmon. Skipper frowned and bared a confused expression on his face. He looked back at his team mates who all shrugged in uncertainty.

"Not really...We're surrounded by weapons..." Skipper said, returning his attention back to Hans. Hans sighed.

"You think I don't know that Skipper? Look! Now you've ruined my taunt!"

"Not that you were any good at them any way" He smirked, loving the fact that he could annoy Hans so easily. Hans let out an angered growl.

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed, "Now we fight!"

"So, you came all this way just to fish fight Skipper?" Kowalski inputted, losing his defence pose.

"Yes..." Hans assured, before receiving a raised eye brow from all the penguins, "What? It gets very boring in Hoboken".

"I can imagine" Skipper sighed, pulling out a fish as he jumped forward to Hans. They fought in a way that could only be described as playfully. To a stranger, it would seem that they were friends. However, with Skippers notorious competitive nature, it soon turned meaningful. The others stood by, ready to spring into action, just in case. Cleo notices Hans reaching for an obscure looking weapon, that seemed to resemble an axe, which would do much damage to the victim. Hans held it up and thrust it towards Skipper. She leaped over to the scene, kicking the weapon from his flippers.

"What? Who are you?!" Hans exclaimed.

"My name has no importance to you, all that you need to know is that I am an addition to your defeat" Cleo snapped. The puffin stared at her, beak hanging open.

"Now that is a taunt!" Skipper admired, glancing at Cleo, who returned the gaze. Hans looked from Skipper to Cleo repeatedly, smirking to himself as he noticed a connection between the two penguins. He kicked the unexpected Skipper in the stomach, sending him flying back and winding him, leaving him curled up on the floor. Kowalski, Rico and Private dashed forward. Hans grasped Cleo's flipper and then grabbed a grenade, leaving an explosion to cover his escape. The penguins shielded themselves with their flippers. As the mist cleared, Rico and Private assisted Skipper to his feet. They turned to Kowalski. His wolfish expression was readable.

"CLEO! Skipper, we need to go get her!"

"Way ahead of you Kowalski," He wheezed, "RICO! Fetch the car. We ride to Hoboken immediately".

* * *

Cleo rattled the bars of the cage in which she was trapped in. Hans chuckled to himself menacingly.

"Skipper will be sure to come and rescue you".

"Skipper is sure to rescue any of his team" Cleo sighed, "It doesn't take a genius to work that out". Hans scowled at her before pacing.

"And when he comes to rescue you I'll show him my weapon I have been making over the past few months. And when I say show, I really mean...KABOOM!" he suddenly exclaimed, pulling out a weapon from behind his back. It was like a long hand-held cannon. "It fires grenades".

"Yeah, we have one of those...In fact that looks like the ones we have, I thought you said _you_ have been working on it?"

"I mean I have improved it, the fire range has more impact now" Hans grinned. Cleo opened her beak, ready to start a smart come back to dishearten Hans' plan. However, he interrupted her. "I am not explaining anything to you any more..." Hans marched away from the storage block of where he was keeping Cleo. The female penguin sighed and leant against the bars. She glanced around, realising that she was once again trapped in a cage.

"Déjà vu much..." she sighed.

Meanwhile, the mission to rescue Cleo had already taken place. Rico, who was driving, kept his foot down on the accelerator of the little pink car. They whizzed down the main road into Hoboken.

"Alright men. This is literally grab and go, no detours, and agent's life is at risk" Skipper demanded, although his pep-talk put Kowalski even more on edge. With Rico's speedy driving, and lack of respect to the rules of the road, they arrived at Hoboken in no time. Now they needed to go underground; beneath the Hoboken zoo lied Hans' secret lair...

* * *

Cleo became impatient. She began pacing and rattling the cage bars. When doing this, she noticed the padlock.

"Pfft! A simple lock like that? What does he think I am? A chick?" She chuckled to herself, holding the lock in her flippers. She used one flipper to remain the padlock still and the other in attempt to pick it. The lock clicked and popped open. "Tad dah!" she smiled, pushing the cage door open. At this point, the team of penguins sneaked into this room. Skipper was gob smacked.

"But, how did you..?"

"I told you to not get accustomed to saving me" Cleo smirked, walking out of the cage and towards the team. Kowalski hugged her, squeezing her tightly. The relief was painted on his face. Neither said anything, just allowed themselves to share a hug before moving on with their mission. They slid on their bellies through the corridors of Hans' lair. Skipper knew all of his enemies' lairs, just for the chance occasions like this. They got to their feet and pressed their backs against the wall, shuffling along it. Skipper peered around the corner. This was the main part of the lair and, sure enough, Hans was there. He indicated with his flipper to climb up through the air vent, which he knew lead to the surface. As he gave his team mates a leg up into the air vent, he glanced around the corner again. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Wait a minuet men...and miss...Isn't that _our_ grenade gun?!" Skipper grumbled at a whisper.

"Yeah, he said he took it from you and has been 'improving' it for months" Cleo explained. Skipper narrowed his eyes.

"Remember our penguin credo? No penguin swims alone? Yeah well I have a weapon credo...No one steals my weapon and gets away with it! We're stealing it back!"

"But Skipper, you said this was mission grab and go?" Kowalski hesitated, poking his head out from the air vent.

"Well now it's mission grab and go for the grenade gun. We need a distraction..." Skipper pondered. He noticed a tin of paint with paint brush leant against a half painted wall opposite them. "Purple, ay? Nice colour scheme..."

Rico regurgitated a grappling hook and aimed it to gabbed the tin. As Skipper opened it, Rico used the tool again to get the paint brush.

"Private, your the creative one, paint Cleo's beak to look like a puffin's" Skipper ordered, handing the smallest penguin the paint brush. Cleo frowned at Skipper. "Are you ready for a mission of your own?"

Cleo beamed. "You know I am, what do I have to do?"

"Your mission is to distract Hans with your 'puffin' womanly charms" he grinned, before adding, "erm...the charms that Kowalski told me you had..."

"I said nothing of that sort..." Kowalski inputted.

"Kowalski, enough of your smart yap!"

"But Skipper, I didn't say..."

"Enough!" Skipper growled, "Cleo, you go and distract Hans, we'll get the grenade gun".

* * *

Cleo approached Hans silently. He had his back to the entrance, eyes cast down at plans on his desk. She put a flipper on his shoulder and ran it down and around to his hip as she walked around to his side. Hans jumped back and put up his flippers in a defence pose. Cleo battered her eyelashes and put a flipper on her hip. He put down his defence, mesmerised by the female 'puffins' beauty.

"Who..Who are you?" he stuttered, stumbling for words. Cleo edged closer to him, leaning in her head to speak in his earhole.

"Your dream come true" She whispered.

Meanwhile, above this scene, the team of penguins where crawling along the steel girder of the structure holding up the roof. Kowalski watched Cleo as he crawled along. As Skipper halted the group, Kowalski's absent mind led him to bumping into Private, who was in front of him. Private wobbled and slipped off the beam. Luckily, Rico grasped his foot and pulled him up.

"Kowalski focus, we need your physics to work out how we can use this rope and sandbag to get down and grab the grenade gun" Skipper scolded.

"Sorry Skipper, but... She just flirts with him so...so easily..." Kowalski whimpered.

"She's just doing her job..."

"But she could be like this to anyone! Behind my back!" he continued, sounding paranoid. Skipper felt hot and flustered, an awkward tension arising.

"Just...Do the job, Kowalski". Kowalski pulled out his clipboard and quickly jotted down a series of formulas and designs to fit the situation. He turned it round to show the tea and tapped his pencil at a certain design. They got to work, following Kowalski's design. The rope was tied to the sandbag, which Kowalski had calculated to be the equivalent weight of a penguin. The other end of the rope was then attached to Rico. The middle of the rope rested on the metal beam and the sand bad dangled down, balancing Rico on the other side. Private slowly pulled the rope of the sandbag up, which lowered Rico's side down. Rico grasped the grenade gun and aimed it at Hans. Skipper tugged at the rope and shook his head. Rico looked disappointed and was hauled up. Cleo saw Skipper wave, indicating that they were done. She walked around to the back of Hans, who now was head over heels in love with her. Suddenly, she karate chopped his shoulder on a pressure point, leaving Hans unconscious.

* * *

Back at HQ, Cleo starts to notice that Kowalski had been giving her the cold shoulder. Wanting to clear the air, she confronts him.

"What's wrong?"

"Like you don't know..." he groaned, folding his flippers.

"What do you mean?"

"How could you flirt with Hans so casually? Do I mean nothing to you?" Kowalski overreacted.

"That isn't my fault. I had to do my job so you could get the gadget!"

"It didn't even look hard to you! I bet you do it all the time behind my back!"

"Now your just being silly..." She groaned. Kowalski began to pace.

"OH! I'm the silly one?! Or maybe you are for liking Hans!" His paranoia made him speak irrationally.

"I do not like Hans! Why would you come to such conclusion? I thought I helped the team".

"Helped yourself more like..."

"Now your not even making sense..." Cleo persisted. Skipper walked in to see them arguing. He jumps to conclusions and assumes that Kowalski knows about him and Cleo kissing.

"How did you find out...?"

"What that she's a cheat? The hard way!"

"I didn't cheat on you!" Cleo gasped.

"Kowalski, it was completely my fault" Skipper admitted, feeling guilty after seeing Cleo's eyes close to tears.

"Yeah, if you never set that mission to get the gadget..."

"I don't see how that has any significance but just don't blame Cleo..."

"She's the one to completely blame!" Kowalski growled, "She's the one who goes behind my back flirting!"

"I don't! That was for the mission!"

Skipper felt his head banging with confusion ad heart pounding with panic. "Kowalski, let's just straighten this out...The kiss was completely my fault..."

"YOU KISSED HIM TOO?!" Kowalski bellowed, more in shock than anger, "I know the mission was to distract Hans but you didn't have to assign her that!"

"I didn't kiss Hans!" Cleo yelled.

"No, I meant with me, you know..." Skipper hesitated. Cleo and Kowalski both looked gone out at Skipper.

"You...You and Cleo...Kissed?" Kowalski stuttered.

"And obviously she's told you and I think its only right for you to no that I wasn't playing her about...I lov..." Skipper was interrupted.

"YOU kissed Cleo!?"

Skipper glanced over at Cleo, who was her face resting in her flippers. "You didn't tell him...?". Cleo shook her head. Skipper gulped hard and looked back at the taller penguin. "Kowalski I'm sorry I thought..."

He would've continued talking but Kowalski had leapt on him, knocking him to the ground. Kowalski repeatedly punch his commander and they rolled around on the floor. Skipper refused to hit Kowalski while he wasn't in his right state of mind, however, he struggled to restrain him. Cleo recited a plea to stop them. They continued to tussle on the floor. Rico and Private were not present and a good thing too. Tears began to stream from Cleo's eyes. When Kowalski heard his beloved bawl, he stopped instantly. Skipper pushed Kowalski off of him. Sympathetically, Kowalski waddled to his girlfriend's side. He cuddled her and she cried into his chest. Skipper looked at the two. _'They are a match made in heaven, I should have never interfered' _he thought. Kowalski caught eyes with Skipper.

"I'm sorry, Skipper, I shouldn't have reacted that way..."

"It's fine Kowalski. We can talk later, you just focus on comforting Cleo" he smiled sympathetically. Cleo lifted her head from Kowalski's chest to look at Skipper. Her beak quivered. She so desperately wanted to speak her mind but instead she just watched him walk away...

Chapter 8 will be out soon! Please review! The action isn't over yet. What does Skipper want to talk to Kowalski about? Will Cleo speak her mind? What will Kowalski do knowing that his girlfriend and leader have a strong connection?


	8. Chapter 8- Heart To Heart

**Chapter 8-**

As Private and Rico were non-the-wiser of the events between Skipper, Kowalski and Cleo, the female thought that they were the perfect company to have at this moment in time.

"Cleo, do you want to watch the Lunacorns with me and Rico?" Private sang, his tone in lilt.

"I'm not watching that!" exclaimed Rico, his words muffled over his grunted voice. Cleo smirked. She glanced over at Skipper, who was leant against the wall near Kowalski, however there was still a rather large distance between them.

"You know what, Private? We can do better. Let's drive down to the toy store and you can play with the lunacorn toys there. Rico, I'm sure Miss Perky would appreciate a new dress or too".

Rico drooled at Cleo's idea. He loved spoiling his girl, even if she couldn't tell him how much she appreciates him. Private also beamed and nodded vigorously.

"Your very own mission, then?" Skipper inputted, after debating whether to speak or not.

"Oh sorry, Skipper..." Private sighed.

"Permission to go on our own mission" Cleo said, sounding disciplined.

"Permission granted" he replied with a half smile. He feared of saying too much because of Kowalski's new knowledge of them. Cleo, Private and Rico left HQ, heading to the garage to retrieve their small pink car. Skipper looked across to Kowalski, who looked like he was brooding over the past events. He took a deep breath and swallowed his pride.

"I never thought this would ever happen, Kowalski..."

"Nor I..." Kowalski admitted, "I thought I was always going to be set on Doris, and if that was so, I'd be forever alone..."

Skipper gulped. "Our brotherhood is too strong to fight our _some_ girl". Kowalski glared at Skipper. "Okay, let me rephrase that. Our brotherhood is too strong to fight over miss Cleo..."

Content with Skipper's correction, Kowalski nodded. "True that, Skipper" he sighed.

"But it's not as if she's any old girl, she's a real charmer" Skipper continued, pacing as he ranted and beginning to lose himself in thought. "She is a true agent, one we all could admire. Using her charms to her advantages in tough situations. That was all she did with Hans".

"She seemed to use them on you and me too..." Kowalski whimpered, his pupils doubling in size.

"No, Kowalski. It was me. I lead her on into kissing me...And as for you and her, that's real. I'm not expert in affairs of the heart, but I know love when I see it. It's like Manfredi when he fell for this luscious Rainbow Lorikeet we met in Melbourne on a mission. She went round strutting, flashing off her feathers to all the guys but when she was with Manfredi, she was like a different bird. He was broken-hearted when we had to leave for home"

"Nor am I yet I feel I have latched onto something..."

"I just want to say, don't let my stupidity come between you and Cleo. She's a sweet lady...And you deserve her".

"Skipper..."

"And I also want you to know that I didn't just kiss her to play her about...Well, that wasn't my intention..."

"Skipper!" Kowalski raised his voice, finally breaking through to the leader penguin, "Do you_ love_ Cleo?".

"I like her very much, yes" he replied casually.

"That's not what I asked," the taller penguin persisted, "Do you love her?"

"I..." Skipper stuttered, his eyes scanning the room to avoid contact with Kowalski, who was becoming impatient for an answer, "I...I...As your commanding officer, I have no time for love..."

"Love isn't something you make time for. It is an irrational chemical reaction in the cerebral, which gives us a sensation of happiness and bliss" Kowalski explained, making time for science even at a time like this.

"I can't say I've experienced this with Cleo" he lied, keeping his cool. Kowalski raised an eye brow at his leader. He then thought back to a familiar conversation he had.

"Skipper, don't lie to me" He related, impersonating his commander. Skipper smirked.

"I wouldn't say love".

"That's funny, I would say it was". Kowalski grinned at Skipper, whose face dropped and looked ashamed, "Skipper, please, do not spare my feelings, I need to know".

"I guess I do...Now look, you made me sound like a sap!" Skipper said, trying to keep a straight face. Kowalski grinned but said nothing. "So...What are we going to do?".

"Maybe Cleo should move in with Marlene...Just for a little while, until we've sorted out our feelings. That way neither of us get hurt".

"Nice thinking, Kowalski" Skipper praised, "But for the record, I don't have my feelings crushed like some silly little school girl".

"You keep thinking that Skipper," Kowalski teased, "We both know that you almost shed tears when you saw Cleo crying".

"Shed tears?! At least I didn't turn into a psychotic mess!"

"That's rude to compare me to Rico". Both penguins fell silent before bursting out laughing. Skipper put a flipper around his taller friend.

"Promise me you'll never change" he grinned, as they walked toward the hatch of HQ.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the toy store, Private played with the toy lunacorns in a plastic pink palace, while Rico danced with Miss Perky in her new sparkling frock. Cleo sat on an art box set, her head resting on her flippers. Never had she ever felt so conflicted with herself with a dilemma that had steadily crept up on her.

_'This is a painful truth that I am having to admit to...I always thought I loved Kowalski, and never thought other wise. Yet I can't stop thinking of Skipper...Maybe he is the type one fantasizes about and Kowalski is the true gentleman I need in reality. But Skipper is apart of reality too...I have to say it to see if I truly feel it...I love Kowalski...And I love Skipper...It isn't fair to love them both, it'll only cause more conflict. But it isn't fair to continue to date Kowalski when my heart isn't completely devoted to him...Man, I never thought I was so deep with romance...Enough of this before I puke...'_

"Private, Rico, are you ready to go now?" She finally spoke.

"Owh..." the two penguins sighed in unison, but coming away quietly as they appreciated having the time to go there in the first place. As Rico drove them back to the zoo, Cleo asked Private for advice.

"Private, your into peace and love and helping people, so what should...my friend, yeah, what should my friend do? Say if she liked this guy yet she dated a different guy, but she likes them both. Does she tell them, or break up with her boyfriend while she sorts out her feelings or just keep it quiet?" she asked, disguising the true purpose.

"Ah, not to recite Shakespeare but; to tell or not to tell, that is the question" he giggled.

"Yeah, that is the question..."

"I would say not to interfere with the hearts of those who are content with what they don't know. Why upset them or get their hopes up when you yourself are indecisive?"

"Private, for a young agent, you aren't as naïve as Skipper says you are" Cleo smiled, receiving a grin from the short penguin.

"By the way, who is your friend?"

"Okay, maybe you are a little naïve," She chuckled to herself, "It doesn't matter, Private, never you mind..."

Chapter 9 will be posted soon! What will happen between Kowalski and Cleo? Will they stay together? How will Marlene cope with a room mate, if Cleo even ends up leaving? Will Cleo and Skipper admit their feelings for each other?


	9. Chapter 9- Hospitality Scare

**Chapter 9-**

The penguin team reunited at HQ. Cleo braced herself as she entered, preparing for an awkward lecture from Kowalski and Skipper. They all gathered around the stone table.

"Cleo, me and Skipper have been talking...And we have come to a conclusion..." Kowalski related, breaking it down into sections so he could compose himself, "We think that maybe you should move in with Marlene for a while, but this is completely your call".

Cleo blinked hard, her eyes astonished.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No! Your still apart of the team. This is just between me and Kowalski, you understand" Skipper explained, planning out his words to prevent any more hurting of feelings. Private turned to Rico with a confused expression and Rico just shrugged.

"Actually Skipper, I don't understand"

"I wasn't referring to you Private, besides this is a woman thing, you wouldn't understand" Skipper grinned.

"I think I would, Skipper. It's like what the Lunacorns say...". Rico put his flipper over Private's beak before he could recite a flowery quote from the tv show.

"Thankyou, Rico," Skipper praised, "I think you and Marlene will get along, sitting up all night doing girly sleepover games and talking about boys". Cleo raised an eye brow at Skipper's stereo typing.

"Now you know I'm not that type" She corrected, "Okay, I'll move..But wait, what about Alice, surely she'll notice a penguin in the otter habitat?"

"This is Alice we're speaking of, she wouldn't notice if Burt went and lived in her office" Skipper chuckled. Kowalski pulled out his abacus.

"Statistically speaking, even ignorance levels as high as Alice's would have a 70% chance of noticing an elephant in the room" Kowalski paused and thought a second, "See what I did there? An elephant in the room!"

Skipper rolled his eyes as the scientific penguin began to laugh. Cleo smirked. She loved Kowalski's technicality, but that thought turned her to another issue. She waddled over to Kowalski and took him by the flippers.

"And what about us?" She asked, gazing up into his dilating pupils.

"Ah, yes...And what for us..." He hesitated. They both felt like they needed a break from their relationship, but both felt to guilty to be the one to end it all.

"Do you think that for a while we should...Just focus on our missions...?"

"Yeah...Just until this is all sorted out" Kowalski sighed, breaking away eye contact. Skipper watched as the two slowly let the grip of their flippers go. He couldn't help but feel responsible for their separation. Private looked on in shock, not quite understanding why they were breaking up, while Rico's eyes glazed over in boredom. No violence, no attention was how the psychotic penguin's mind rolled. Cleo made her way to the hatch.

"I guess I'll get myself more properly acquainted with my new room mate" She sniffed, fighting back the tears.

"We'll come and get you if a mission pops up" Skipper said, giving a nod of approval.

* * *

Cleo had been introduced to Marlene before, when Kowalski took her on a tour of the zoo.

"Hi Marlene..."

"Hey! Cleo! It's nice of you to drop by!" the otter greeted.

"Actually, if it's alright with you...It's a little longer then a drop by..." Cleo whimpered, fighting back the tears. Marlene ran to her side, hugging her sympathetically.

"What do you mean?" she asked, extracting from the hug, "What's happened?"

Cleo began to pour out the story, her heart throbbing as she cried.

**-Meanwhile, at the penguin's HQ-**

"How come Cleo had to leave?"

"Private! Enough with your questions! You haven't stopped asking since she left" Skipper growled.

"I'm sorry Skipper...But you're the one whose always saying 'this unit runs on a backbone of trust' and what not"

"Uh-huh" Rico piped in, agreeing.

"So why can't we know what's happened?" Private continued. Skipper turned to Kowalski, who looked as if he was almost reducing into tears. Private asked the question again, but Skipper's patience drained to zero. He clenched his flippers into a fist, and burst out with rage, interrupting the little penguin.

"ENOUGH NOW PRIVATE! JUST LEAVE IT!" Skipper bellowed. The HQ was hushed. Kowalski whimpered. Now even closer to tears, he walked into his lab and closed the door.

"Uh Oh..." Rico sighed. Skipper's outburst dawned on him and he felt a surge of guilt rush through him.

"Private, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." he started, but the little penguin walked away and out of the HQ. Skipper sighed and looked at Rico, who awkwardly whistled and shuffled away from the scene. "Great!" he growled sarcastically, "it's been two minuets without Cleo and I've already done more harm..."

**-Back to Otter habitat-**

Cleo's tears had been all cried out, no more could trickle out from her eyes. She had poured out everything from her mind...

"Wow...I didn't think Skipper was like that..." Marlene frowned.

"Like what?"

"How romantic you said he was...How come I never saw this side of him?" she continued, looking absent as she desperately tried to think of a time Skipper acted this way with her. She found zero memories of this. Cleo felt a little awkward.

"Maybe he...no.." Cleo removed the thought from her mind.

"What?"

"Well I don't know about him...But...I...I think I...love him" she stuttered before finishing with a smile of relief. Marlene's shocked expression suddenly faded into a look of hatred.

"You think he _loves_ you? You thin he _cares_ for you?!" she hissed, marching up to Cleo, intimidatingly.

"Wha...Wait...I never said tha..." Cleo pleaded her innocence, before Marlene interrupted.

"You listen here!" she howled, grabbing Cleo by the feathers on her chest and speaking through gritted teeth, "Skipper doesn't fall for anyone, and if he did, he would love me! What makes you think you're so special?!"

"Marlene...I..I.."

"You stick to what you can get! Second best is all you'll ever have, so you better get used to it and settle for Kowalski!". Cleo's fear was swiped.

"Don't speak about Kowalski like that! He's a great guy! Second best? You'd be lucky to be in his presence!" she argued back, narrowing her eyes and pushing Marlene away from her.

"Don't push me!"

"Don't tempt me!"

They both stared out one another, circling as their silence tried to square up each other. With that failing Marlene leapt on Cleo and furiously began to tear at her feather. This was a wrong move to start a fight with a penguin agent, whose combat skills were great, especially after she had insulted Kowalski. Cleo kicked Marlene in the stomach, sending her flying to the ground. They both jumped up to their feet, Marlene delivering slaps while Cleo use punches. Cleo grabbed a tuft of fur on the top of the otter's head and pulled her to the ground, as well as being dragged down herself.

Coincidently, Skipper and Kowalski had decided to visit the two new roomies, only to turn up and see them fighting. They rolled about on the floor hitting one another. Skipper held up a flipper to shield his words as he whispered to his taller friend.

"Is it just me, or...do you think this is hot?!"

"Ditto" Kowalski nodded in agreement, smirking along with Skipper. A scream came from the fight. "But seriously, we should split them up".

Skipper grabbed Marlene and Kowalski pulled away Cleo. Both females panted, chests heavily puffing in and out as they hyperventilated.

"What the deuce is happening here?!" Skipper exclaimed.

"EGAD!" Kowalski gasped, noticing blood on his flipper from where he was holding Cleo. Skipper viewed the scratches on Marlene's body, her open wounds not as bad as Cleo didn't possess claws like she did. However, Marlene had a black eye and bruises from Cleo's kung fu combat. Cleo recovered her breath first.

"I think I'd rather stay else where, _Marlene's_ hospitality isn't as pleasant as expected".

"HA!" Marlene shouted, pausing to recover her breath, "You should've heard her...Skipper, she says she loves you!"

Kowalski's jaw hung opened, eyes out on stalks in horror. Skipper gasped for a breath and then blushed a little as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Cleo's left eye twitched in frustration. She clenched her flippers into a fist.

"I know, funny right?" Marlene chuckled, in a mocking tone. Cleo turned to Kowalski, who had composed his exterior but she could see right through his cover. "I mean, wow! Like she hasn't already cause enough trouble!".

Cleo dived on Marlene and pinned her to the concrete floor.

"Not another word out of you, do you hear?!" she snarled, threating the otter with a held up fist. Marlene coward under the penguin's wrath. Cleo got to her feet and waddled to Kowalski, who was in a trace, staring at his toes. She took one of his flippers in hers and used her other flipper to gently push his beak upward to make his gaze meet hers. "I..I just..." she blinked hard, tears clouding her vision. Kowalski shook his head.

"I don't want to hear it..." he sighed, turning to Skipper, "Let's just go..."

"But Kowalski, that is the reason I wanted to...I love you too much to think that I couldn't give 100% of my love to you...I hope you can understand..."

Kowalski nodded. He felt too close to her to get angry at her and feared of making her upset. Cleo turned to Skipper.

"I wanted to tell you...Both of you...But I've only recently worked it out myself...". Skipper also nodded.

"You are one brave soldier, but I can't do this to Kowalski, not again". With that Skipper and Kowalski left the otter habitat and returned to HQ. Cleo sighed. Brushing down her ruffled up feathers from fighting, she decide to take a walk in the park.

**-At the park-**

She had been here for a while now, pacing up and down trying to get over the metaphoric barrier in her mind. The sun began to set over the skyline of New York city. Cleo sighed miserably.

"I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to sleep, but I best get back to the zoo..." she began to walk back to the central park zoo. As she waddled past a bush, a paw reached out and grasped her foot. "Argh!" she yelped. It dragged her into the bush...

Chapter 10 will be out soon! What grabbed Cleo? Why did it happen? Where is it taking her? Will the team find her? Please review:)


	10. Chapter 10- Evil Schemes

**Chapter 10-**

As the sky began to darken, the penguin team sat in HQ watching their television. Skipper got to his feet.

"Early night boys, we'll have training at dawn".

The team sighed, and waddled reluctantly to their bunks. They obediently fell asleep, all apart from Skipper, who laid awake waiting to hear each one of his team mates snoring. He grinned suddenly, pulling out a bouquet of roses from beneath his pillow. Leaping down from his bunk, he checked on each of the penguins.

"I've just got to set his straight, Kowalski..." he whispered, as the taller penguin stirred gently in his slumber. Skipper left the HQ, searching every habitat in order to find where Cleo was. He practised what he was going to say.

"Hey, sorry about earlier, I didn't mean...No..." he stuttered, before correcting himself, "Hey, sorry about earlier, I didn't want to upset Kowalski by saying it in front of him but...No...Hey! Earlier? Pfft, no biggy! I didn't want to say anything with Kowalski there and all, but I want you to know that I feel the same way too...no..." Skipper sighed forlornly, "How hard can it be it be to just look her in the eye and tell her...I love her...?" Skipper shook away his depressive thoughts, "That's if I could find her..."

Cleo woke up to find herself in a dark room, tied to a chair with rope. _'I must have passed out...'_ she thought. She wiggled her head and the material that covered her mouth slipped down around her neck. A spotlight blinded her and her eyes strained to see as a figure walked forward.

"Ah, Cleo, why did you every leave the dark side?" a malicious voice spoke.

"MARCO!" the female penguin gasped, as her eyes adjusted and she saw a familiar vindictive looking badger, with claws that curved out and round as they shined silver. A sharp tooth poked out of the villain's long snout.

"Don't sound so surprised, we were partners...Until _you_ made the boss mad..."

"How did you find me?!"

"Isn't it obvious? Working for Dr. Blowhole, I had to take over _your_ job and spy on Hans. You see they used to pair up but the puffin betrayed him..."

"Yeah, I go it, your forgetting I worked for blowhole too...Proceed" Cleo inputted with a sigh.

"When you were causing upsets with Hans, I easily found you and the team you're now working for. Now for vengeance of my own!" the badger evilly chuckled.

"Revenge? I haven't made enemies with you!"

"When you join the side of good, all who were your friends become bitter enemies...".

"Blowhole was never my friend! He locked me in a cage!" Cleo exclaimed.

"Blowhole can't wait to torture you and get every last information out of your tiny mind about those penguins".

"You'll never get information out of me!" she snapped, struggling to wiggle out of the ropes.

"Well..." Marco smirked, walking forwards, "We didn't expect it to be easy..."

* * *

**Back at the Central Park zoo-**

Skipper returned to HQ, quickly. He leaped through the hatch and grasped the megaphone.

"UP AND AT 'EM BOYS!"

The racketing noise thundered through the sleeping penguin's bodies and shook them to attention. They sprung to their feet and sleepily saluted.

"What's the matter, Skipper?" Private yawned. Rico rubbed his eyes.

"Cleo isn't here...I fear the worst" Skipper explained. Kowalski's eyes widened.

"What do you mean she's not here?!"

"Maybe she's just gone for a walk or something, there's no need to jump to conclusions" Private suggested, sweetly.

"Naïve young Private, you don't get it do you? She's an agent, bound to have enemies" Skipper hissed, shaking his head with a flipper to his forehead.

"Cleo was upset...Maybe Private's right" Kowalski pondered

"Told you so" Private boasted, his voice in lilt. Skipper scowled at the little penguin.

"Continue, Kowalski".

"Cleo liked to go for a walk through the park when she's feeling down, perhaps we should check there first?"

"Genius observation!" Skipper praised, "Let's roll!"

* * *

The penguins searched the park for the Cleo, with no luck what-so-ever. Kowalski sighed.

"It's hopeless! We'll never find her!"

"Don't you dare lay your doubt over this unit!" Skipper scolded, smacking the taller penguin around the face. Private tripped over a log and landed into the bush. Skipper sighed, ashamed of Private's carelessness. "Sound off Private..."

"Skipper! Look at this!" the little penguin called. The rest of the team burst through the bush to find Private cowering behind his own flippers. He shakily pointed to a large paw-print in the mud.

"That was not made by no penguin..." Skipper remarked, stating the obvious. Kowalski pulled out his forensic science kit, and began research on his first thought.

"This is a badger's paw-print, and look here" he explained, looking through his magnifying glass to inspect what he held between his tweezers, holding it up for the rest to see, "It's...A penguin feather".

"Shiitake mushrooms!" Skipper exclaimed.

"So...She_ has_ been captured?" Private whimpered.

"TOLD YOU SO!" the leader mocked.

"Judging from the drag marks leading to this underground tunnel, I'm guessing they went that way" Kowalski stated. Rico regurgitated a torch.

"Alright men! Let's go get our private"

"But I'm right here, Skipper" the little penguin smiled innocently.

"Not you, our other private, private Cleo" he explained, ending with a smirk before flipping into the hole.

* * *

**-Meanwhile-**

Cleo panted in exhaustion. She still sat in the chair, tied up, tiered from struggling to release herself. Sweat began to drip down her forehead from the heat of the harsh spotlight. The rest of the room was dark, apart from the circle around her from the spotlight that dangled above her. Cleo looked across the room as she heard an electrical sounding noise. It came closer. She strained her eyes to see through the dark blanket that covered the rest of the room. A red lazar pierced through the darkness until a figure drove out.

"Nice to meet you again, Cleo, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

"Explain yourself, Blowhole!"

The dolphin drove his Segway forward and circled around the chair.

"I was angry when I heard you left my unit..Well, actually, I was angry to hear that you were still alive...BUT I see it now, this was all a great move"

"Start making sense you over grown fish!"

"Mammal!" Dr. Blowhole growled, "You may have gone on to work solo yet you became close to a certain enemy pen-GU-in team"

"And?" she questioned, not getting the point he was trying to make. Dr. Blowhole groaned.

"You can now tell me all the information you know about them, and you _won't_ resist as you work for me"

"I do _not_ work for you! I decided that when you shut me up in that cage!"

"But what a twist of fate it was, for my foes to come to your saviour...Are you now trying to tell me that you joined them with no intentions of betraying them coldly?" the dolphin shuddered, "No matter, you'll still tell me what you know".

"I'll tell you nothing!" Cleo protested.

"You would really risk your 'team' member's lives?"

"What are you talking about?!" she yelled, clenching his flippers into a fist, her frustration beginning to show.

"Skipper's natural instinct, along with his penguin credo, he will come and rescue you, leading him and the others into a lethal trap!"

"If you're so sure he'll come, what do I have to do with their lives?"

"I can tell them not to come, and that if they did, you would be harmed...In exchange for you telling me every secret and weakness in them" he smirked, evilly.

"Knowing Skipper, he would come anyway, no matter what costs"

"And your going to risk their lives on an opinion?"

"Let them come, your no match for them" she taunted.

"If you say so," he chuckled, "But I will be untouchable with this weapon protecting me..."

"You really need to expand on detail" Cleo complained, fidgeting on the chair.

"I forgot you would be more comfortable in a cage" he mocked, but returned to the subject after receiving a stern look from the female, "You remember that weapon I had made a while back; the dioboligizer? I only got to use it once and it didn't go accordingly...And how, I've used it on my other worker, Marco!"

Thunderous footsteps rattled the ground, bouncing the chair off the floor. The villainous badger Cleo had once worked with had been transformed into an even wilder killing machine, only obeying the demands of Blowhole. Cleo's jaw gaped open as Marco came into sight. He was now standing at, at least, eight foot tall. Marco was perched on his hind legs, his head lowered forward because of the low roof. Blowhole let out his dolphin like cackle.

"PEN-GU-IN INILATION BEGINS!"

I will post up chapter 11 soon. Wow, chapter 11 :o Would just like to give a big thanks to **'thewriterstory'** for helping me decide on decisions for this story. I promise that the next few chapters will be very interesting! Next time- Will the penguins walk into Dr. Blowhole's evil plan? How do they intend on saving Cleo? And overall, who will Cleo chose, if any? Please review:)


	11. Chapter 11- Rescue Mission

**Seems long but most is speech.**

**Chapter 11-**

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private had been walking through the underground passage way for what seemed to be eternality. Private's feet began to tire and he lagged behind.

"Kowalski. How much longer of this death walk" Skipper groaned, ushering forward the exhausted young penguin.

"If my calculations are correct, we should be arriving at the entrance right about...Now" The intelligent penguin explained, looking up from his tracking device to see a huge metallic vault like door.

Skipper slid to the front of the line and eyed up the door. Rico regurgitated a stick of dynamite.

"Kaboom?" he grinned. Skipper shook his head, leaving the psychotic penguin disappointed.

"We need to get in without making our entrance obvious. Who ever is twisted enough to kid-nap miss Cleo is bound to be a dangerous villainous scum!"

Kowalski smirked. "There's an air vent above the door".

"Attack stack, boys!" Skipper demanded, leaping onto Rico's shoulders, and allowing Private to jump on his. Kowalski stood on Private's shoulders and Rico, on the bottom of the stack, shuffled forward next to the door. The tallest penguin pulled himself into the air vent, before yanking the others up too.

* * *

"Boss, we have the four penguins making their way through the air vent" a lobster alerted, peeking up from his computer base.

"Good work, RedOne," Dr Blowhole praised, with an evil cackle, "I never doubted that they would take the less obvious entrance. MARCO! Be ready..."

Cleo wriggled in the chair that she was still tied to, her speech blurred from a material strip covering her beak.

"Patience Cleo, the entertainment will begin in just a moment".

At that point, there was a drilling sound echoing in the air vent. Suddenly, the vent cover fell to the ground and out sprung the four penguins, landing in their action poses. The room had fallen dark, the only light came from the spotlight that hung above Cleo.

"Cleo!" Kowalski gasped, relieving himself from his stance and hurrying over to her. Cleo shook her head in panic, warning him off.

"Wait, Kowalski!" Skipper gasped, his paranoia kicking in. Suddenly, a huge paw kicked Cleo out of the way, the chair spinning her as it rolled into the wall. The penguins slowly scaled their gazes up the body of the beast to meet it's vindictive eyes. Marco growled.

"What the deuce...?" Skipper asked in shock. The now eight foot high badger glared down at them, snarling.

"B..Badger...B..Bi...Big...Badger..." stuttered Private, feeling light headed. The young penguin passed out from fright of meeting his worst fear on the biggest scale possible. Rico lifted Private on to his back, being the first to move from the shock trance. Marco began to stomp his giant paws, in an attempt to squash the penguins, who slid on their bellies to dodge him. Kowalski leaped over the badger's paw and made his way to Cleo's side. He removed the rope, that held her to the chair, before he got to his knees and held her in his flippers. The rope had been so tight that it had rubbed her feathers to skin, leaving her with red and bleeding marks from rope burn. Cleo's head, which hung floppily in his flippers, slowly turned to look at him. Kowalski sympathetically smiled. Her eyes struggled to stay open.

"K..Kowalski" she sighed in pain. He rubbed his flipper down her cheek, which were now becoming wet with tears, "I..I'm sorry".

"Don't worry, let's get you out of here" he reassured, getting to his feet and carrying her.

In the meantime, Skipper and Rico, who still had the unconscious Private on his back, had been fighting with the beast. However, none of their kicks and punches were affective.

"Rico! Permission to use that dynamite now!" Skipper called. Rico hurled but nothing came out. He attempted again, but the same outcome occurred. The mutant Marco thrashed his fist down on to Skipper, who struggled to hold it up to avoid being squished. "Any time now would be good".

"Skipper!" Rico called out, seeing a red lazar piercing through the shadows. The beast retracted his attack and stood up to attention. Skipper turned to see what was happening. A villainous dolphin drove forward into their vision.

"Blowhole! I should've known!" the leader gasped.

"Pen-GU-ins! I knew you couldn't resist coming to a heroic rescue, Skipper, but never did I expect that you would be blinded by love" Dr Blowhole teased, driving his Segway around Skipper.

"Blinded by love? Start making sense, sea-mammal!" he demanded.

"Ah, exactly what the lady said earlier. Come on Skipper, we've toyed with each other for years, I know how you tick".

"You still aren't making any sense" Skipper persisted, folding his flippers, "...Wait...Where is she?"

Rico shrugged. Private's eyes began to flicker as Rico stirred.

"That's an question I cannot answer..." Dr Blowhole sighed, looking around for his prisoner, "RedOne! Find the female! She could come in use for breaking Skipper".

"Breaking me? You enjoy speaking in code, don't you?!" Skipper growled, becoming frustrated with confusion. Private slid off Rico's back and shakily stood on his feet.

"Blowhole?!"

"Yes, Private, it's a pleasure to see you too. Did you enjoy your nap, young Private?" He replied, sarcastically. Private averted his gaze to Marco, who was glaring down at them all, awaiting orders from his master.

"Who's..That?"

"That's a point. What is this beast? Another one of your mutant creations?!" growled Skipper.

"You remember my dioboligizer, don't you? Well, I used it on one of my extra minions".

"How come I don't know this guy?" he continued.

"Marco is more of an enemy of Cleo then of you" Dr Blowhole explained, before glancing around again, "RED-ONE! Haven't you found that pen-GU-in yet?!"

"On it, boss..." the lobster sighed in annoyance.

"Oh yes, that reminds me..." He started, pressing a button on his Segway. The button activated a wall to push up from the ground, grasping the penguins in metal cuffs.

"This is a tad old now, isn't it Blowhole?!" Skipper groaned.

"Well why change it when you keep falling for it," he taunted, before a look of realisation swept across his face, "Wait? Isn't there four of you?"

Private looked next to him at the empty set of cuffs.

"Where's Kowalski?" he asked, leaning forward to look at Skipper.

"Kowalski...He must be with the girl...RED-ONE!" the dolphin shouted.

"Still searching, boss!" the lobster called back. Dr Blowhole sighed, putting a flipper to his head, ashamed. He drove his Segway closer to the penguins.

"I have assigned certain ironic deaths for each of you. Kowalski; death by science, Rico; death by explosives, Private; death by Lunacorns and Skipper; death by leadership," he read out from a clipboard, "Lucky Skipper, you get to watch each one of your team mates slowly die and all your hard training go down the drain".

"I think we're all pretty lucky, going out with what we love the most" Private inputted, receiving harsh looks from his team.

"Yeah, Private, just apart from the fact that he's plotted our deaths" Skipper muttered, rolling his eyes.

"That was purposeful, young Private, for an ironic twist. However, no one said they would be pleasurable deaths" Dr Blowhole smirked.

* * *

Kowalski had carried Cleo to a room, which had many CCTV cameras as well as gadgets. He placed her on a desk and she laid there almost lifeless. The intelligent penguin examined the female.

"I don't think there's any damage done, just a few cuts and bruises from not being able to put your flippers out from falling. The friction burns should fade and the tattered feathers will regrow. Other then that, I think your just suffering from exhaustion," he explained, before turning round and noticing what was happening on the CCTV cameras, "Umm...I might be able to invent a few weapons to help the team, but you'll have to wait here".

"N..No...I won't...Leave you..." she gasped out, trying to pull herself to an upright position. Kowalski returned to her side. He caressed her face, lovingly.

"I don't want you to get hurt".

"I don't...Want you to...Get hurt" Cleo smiled, still with eyes in pain. Kowalski let out a short chuckle.

"Don't you worry" he grinned, taking her flippers and helping her to her feet, "Are you sure your okay to come?". Cleo nodded, taking in a deep breath and holding her head proud. "Then let's get inventing!" he beamed.

* * *

"All I'm saying is why are you dragging out the torcher? Why not get it over and done with?" Private naively asked, harassing the evil dolphin.

"Because I have been waiting a long time to do this and I want to enjoy it! What of that deludes you?!" Dr Blowhole bellowed.

"But surely you have other evil fish schemes you want to attend to?" the young penguin continued.

"MAMMAL! You cannot be serious! Is he always like this?!"

"Painfully, yes" Skipper sighed, growing tiresome of the conversation.

"Yup" Rico agreed.

"See, another few seconds wasted" Private sighed. Skipper looked at him sternly.

"Don't make me come over there and put you with Manfredi and Jonson myself!"

"Well, I think that'll be better then here"

"They're both dead!"

"ENOUGH!" screeched Dr Blowhole, "Marco, just squish them! I cannot take it anymore!". The giant badger marched over to the wall of which the penguins were chained to. The team flinched, preparing themselves for the pain. However, it became apparent to the evil dolphin that the mutant was becoming smaller with every step, until getting to his ordinary size by the time he got near the penguins.

"Wow, I can hardly remember what happened" Marco remarked, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. Dr Blowhole furiously drove his Segway to the diobologizer.

"Who installed a time limit on the diobologizer?!" he bellowed. A lobster shakily raise his pincher. "Do me a favour and go jump in the pot of boiling water!"

"Yes boss..." the lobster minion whimpered, sorrowfully.

Suddenly, there was a green lazar that zapped down, bursting the cuffs into ashes. Skipper, Rico and Private, now freed, sprung into action poses.

"But how..?" Dr Blowhole roared. Kowalski and Cleo flipped down from the metal beams above and landed beside their team mates, tossing them the weapons they had made. "Impossible! RED-ONE!"

"Who likes their fish smoked?!" Kowalski asked, pointing his weapon at the dolphin.

"Mammal. I am all mammal!"

"Tell it to the ray!" Skipper hissed, firing his weapon's lazar at Dr Blowhole. Rico joined in with the shooting, along with letting out a psychotic laugh. Dr Blowhole drove his Segway toward a door way, being chased by the two penguins. Marco whistled, trying to slip away from the scene.

"Not so fast!" Cleo grumbled, "You've just made yourself an enemy!". She aimed her weapon at him. Marco tried to dash away but Kowalski leaped onto him, pinning him to the ground.

"How could you do that to her, you sick animal" he lashed out.

"I know," Marco sighed, " sometimes I disgust myself". Kowalski released his firm grip and looked at him in confusion. The badger suddenly looked back menacingly, punching Kowalski in the stomach. Kowalski fell to the ground and Marco got up and possessed the intelligent penguin's weapon. Cleo gasped, dashing towards them.

"Your fight's with me, not him!" she growled, pushing the aim of the weapon away from Kowalski.

"If you insist!" he cackled, pulling the trigger. The lazar beam spiralled out, flying towards Cleo's chest. Kowalski just managed to stumble to his feet, shoving Cleo out of the way. The lazar shook his body like an electric shock, before he collapsed. Marco dropped his weapon and sprinted off. Cleo rushed to Kowalski's side. He was covered in soot and still had sparks flicking off him. As he regained his breath, he coughed and wheezed. She cuddled him, squeezing him tight in her flippers.

"Don't scare me like that ever again" she whispered into his ear hole. As she pulled away from the hug, Kowalski dazed into her eyes. She had seen this look before, but not in a while since she repeatedly broke his heart. They both blinked hard, their eyelids drooping. They held each others flippers as Kowalski got to his feet.

"I missed you...I want you here with me, all the time. Because, despite all this...I still love you" Kowalski confessed. Cleo's eyes began to well up, her heart beating fast. She could feel a hard lump in her throat, trying to swallow it down as she tried not to cry.

"Kowalski...I love you"

"Please, only say it if you mean it" he begged.

"Kowalski, I have never been so sure of anything in my life" she gulped, staring into his dilating eyes, "I love you".

Kowalski pulled her back into his flippers, bringing her beak to his and kissing her passionately. She kissed back, throwing her flippers around his neck and bringing her chest close to his. Skipper and Rico returned into the room.

"He got away but I'm sure that's not the end" Skipper announced, walking towards them. It suddenly sunk in what was happening and he stopped in his tracks. He noticed Private cooing over them and quickly covered his young eyes. Skipper smiled. _'I'm glad it worked out between them, I'm too occupied by my job to settle down anyway'_. As Kowalski and Cleo pulled away, their eyes remained lovingly on one another. Rico coughed to get their attention, which worked as they turned to the team quickly. "Let's go home, boys..Oh and miss Cleo, of course".

Chapter 12 will be out soon. Sorry I didn't post I up sooner. IT'S NOT THE END YET! Thanks for reading it so far:) Next time- What will Skipper have to say to Cleo? Are Kowalski and Cleo now together? Review please:)


	12. Chapter 12- Unanticipated Visitors

**Chapter 12-**

It was still dark by the time the penguins returned to HQ. Private and Rico just managed to clamber into their bunks before collapsing with exhaustion, falling to sleep instantly. Kowalski walked in with Cleo, his flipper around her waist. He stood in front of her stop her, looking at the female with tired eyes.

"So...Are we good now?" he yawned, holding her flippers. Cleo nodded.

"We're good" she smiled back sleepily, her eyes looking as tired as his. They hugged but said no more as Kowalski returned to his bunk. Cleo watched him go before getting in to her bunk.

* * *

Cleo woke up gasping. She sat up, putting her flippers to her face. The female rubbed her eyes. She scanned the dark room to notice Skipper sipping coffee from his mug.

"It's becoming an occurring occasion you waking up at twilight" he smirked, putting his mug on the stone table. Cleo slid out of her bunk and joined him at the table.

"I could say the same about you" Cleo replied. The leader grinned.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"No, I'm actually hoping to get some more sleep" she stated, looking across at Kowalski, who was curled up peacefully in his bunk. She smiled.

"You really like him, don't you?" Skipper admired. Cleo turned back to him and nodded with a blush. "That's good. He may not be the most romantic, and he definitely struggles to express his feelings, but he really does love you".

Skipper swirled the fish around his coffee mug. The room fell silent until Cleo finally spoke.

"...And do you approve?"

"Of course, I mean I can't deny my feelings but I'll find a woman when the time's right, maybe one of those flirtatious chin-strip sisters" he winked.

"Oh really? I didn't think you'd be the one to believe in love" Cleo teased.

"I just believe that the right women for me is out there, somewhere. You know, one that's less whiny" Skipper chuckled, glancing up at Cleo and taking a sip from his mug to stop his laughter. She raised an eye brow.

"Good luck finding her, I never whined!" she bantered back, before they both began to laugh.

"Honestly though, I couldn't be any more pleased for you and Kowalski"

"That's if he will have me, I've been such a jerk to him, messing with his emotions..." Cleo sighed, guiltily.

"Yeah, you broke him good" he joked, receiving a playful frown from the female, "But I had a part in that and he knows it. He'll take you back for sure".

Cleo got up from her seat, letting out a yawn and stretching. She waddled over to her bunk.

"Thank you, Skipper, for understanding. I'm surprised that you didn't assume that I had set up a trap to lead you to Blowhole" she chuckled.

"Nah, my gut told me that Kowalski's lie-atron or whatever was pretty reliable"

"Are you feeling okay?" she teased with a laugh. He smirked.

"And you're completely over me?" he playfully asked, with a meaningless wink.

"You were just a phase" she bantered, insulting him but playfully so nothing was taken seriously. Skipper laughed, then held his heart and acted as if her words hurt. Cleo chuckled, laying down in her bunk as she did so.

* * *

All the penguins were woken by a loud knock at the fish bowl hatch. Rico was instructed to regurgitate a baseball bat, which Skipper ten held in his flipper as he climbed the ladder. He peeked his head up through the hatch, before leaping out into an action stance, the bat ready to hit someone. Skipper suddenly recognised the two penguins that stood before him.

"Skipper, we have come to speak to agent Cleo" the respected taller penguin announced. Skipper dropped his weapon. The rest of the team jumped out of the hatch.

"Who are they, Skipper?" Private whispered, shielding his words with a flipper.

"They're sergeants from the main penguin agent HQ" he responded, "They wish to speak with Cleo".

The female agent stepped forward with a confused expression on her face.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No, we have just come to collect you" the shorter, but more muscular, penguin replied.

"Collect me?"

"I believe you were staying with these temporarily?"

"Yes but..."

"Then you are to come with us, there is a room ready at HQ for you" the taller explained.

"But wait, she's apart of the team now!" Kowalski cried out. Skipper elbowed Kowalski in his side.

"Don't be so rude" he hissed beneath his breath.

"If this is so, it needs to be told to the Major, _everything_ must be reported to the Major" the shorter one insisted.

"Why did you have to come? I'm happy here" Cleo protested, making Skipper frown his head at her disrespect.

"I'm sorry sergeants, they aren't usually this disobedient.."

"Enough. Cleo, you have a gap in your records. If you are to join a team, we need t know your gap years are clean. You do not have to discuss your past here, but this confidential information must be known in your records" the taller sergeant grumbled. Cleo sighed. She reluctantly followed the two sergeants.

"Wait! This unit is build on a back bone of trust, I demand to hear this" Skipper ordered. They stopped in their tracks.

"Does this mean you'll fill me in on what's been happening with you, Kowalski and Cleo?" Private asked hopefully.

"Rico..." Skipper sighed, instructing Rico to slap the young penguin, who then rubbed his cheek painfully. Cleo whimpered and turned to face her team.

"You don't have to tell them, especially not now" the shorter sergeant informed. She shook her head.

"No it's best that they know..."

Chapter 13 is coming soon! This will include all what has happened in Cleo's past. How will this effect the team? Will Kowalski and Cleo get together again? Will Cleo stay with the team or leave for the HQ?


	13. Chapter 13- The Past Revealed

**Chapter 13-**

"So you want to know what happened?"

The team of penguins nodded, while the sergeants looked at one another. Cleo let out a sigh and braced herself. Memories that she thought had been buried in the back of her mind came flashing back to her.

_"Double agent Cleo, do you read me? I repeat, do you read me?" a voice buzzed from her Bluetooth ear piece._

_"Loud and clear, sergeants. Permission to review the task on hand?"_

_"Permission granted. You must get into Blowhole's HQ, once inside, you need to bug his computer system so we can hack into his evil schemes"._

_"Certainly, I'm on it" she assured, turning off the ear piece. She examined the blueprints of the HQ. Noticing a metal pipe, she squeezed herself inside and began the vertical climb. Cleo spread her feet apart to stop her from slipping and managed to clamber up into the attic of the HQ. There was a section of cross link fencing on the floor of the attic, acting as a ventilation system for the room below. She peered down and watched Blowhole as he schemed._

_"This is the greatest plan yet! Behold, the scheme from a true evil power player; the Dioboligizer! Get it built and fast! I want it ready by the end of the month."_

_"What about the Mind Jacker?" a lobster questioned._

_"It's ready! Didn't you read the plan of action?! It was ready two weeks ago!" the dolphin snapped._

_"Right...And what do you intend to do?"_

_"Why do I even bother printing it out..." sighed Dr Blowhole, "I will meet with Hans, where he'll lure Skipper into a trap where I'll erase his mind and capture his thoughts. Then I will locate their HQ and use the Dioboligizer to transform Kowalski, Private and Rico into the most vindictive beasts. Skipper won't be able to stop me and I'll have the other pen-GU-ins by my side to help me capture the city! Both taking revenge on the humans and the pen-GU-ins, creative huh?"._

_"Ah, I get it...So you want me to...?"_

_"BUILD THE DIOBOLIGIZER! THE PLAN IS ON THE COMPUTER!"_

_Cleo smiled. She pulled out a gadget with a lazar, that cut through the cross links. She turned on her ear piece._

_"Computer located. You won't believe what he's plotting. Something to do with four penguins"_

_"Four penguins? Our only team of four in our records is Skipper's team. It must be them" the sergeant's voice explained._

_"Who? Are they to be warned?"_

_"Just focus on what is before you, you need to bug the computer". Cleo watched as doctor Blowhole and his minions left the room. She pulled out a rope, tied it to a metal beam and abseiled down into the room below. She then placed a device into the huge monitor of the computer. A flipper hit her sharply and she was thrown to the floor._

_"What on earth are you doing?" the dolphin hissed. Cleo looked at him, getting to her feet, but saying nothing. "Umm...Too pretty to skewer..." he examined her, leaning in close on his Segway, running her flipper along her cheek. Cleo frowned, preforming a round-house kick to hit him away. He rubbed his snout painfully. "...And feisty too. RedOne! Engage caging device!" suddenly a cage dropped over Cleo, too fast to get away, "She could be useful..."_

* * *

**_2 months later_**

_By the time the lobsters broke Cleo in to working for their master, Dr Blowhole had already tried and failed his plan. After this happened, Hans demanded a payment from Blowhole for helping him, which the dolphin refused as he was the one who helped him escape from Hoboken. However, the puffin had a scheme of his own and exposed Blowhole's HQ to the penguins. The dolphin and his minions fled to a new hideout, where they plotted revenge and spied on their enemies. Cleo, who now worked for Blowhole, was assigned to spy on Hans, who was known as a traitor in their new HQ. From the moment Cleo was captured by Blowhole, she hadn't made contact to the sergeants again..._

_"Sir, I've noticed over the past few months that Hans isn't actually...plotting anything" she clarified._

_"Justify your observation, pen-GU-in" Dr Blowhole grumbled._

_"The worst Hans has plotted is ways he can shut up his neighbour..."_

_"Never not expect things, get back to your station" he ordered._

_"But there's really no point, he's not.."_

_"Not what?!"_

_"He's not an enemy! Not to us anyway" Cleo lashed out. The dolphin narrowed his eyes, driving his Segway around her._

_"You never expect who your enemies are, you find them. And worst of all, you never expect when they can strike!" he suddenly bellowed, smacking the penguin to the ground, "RED-ONE! Trap her in the cage! She is to learn a lesson on enemies striking!"_

_Cleo was carried away and shut into a cage. It was hard to notice from her exterior, but she hadn't eaten in weeks. The penguin agent was too weak to object, and she had lost all hope, as every time she was locked away, she was starved. She was punished for every little thing she did wrong due to Blowhole's hatred towards penguins._

_"Guess who, bottle nose!" called a heroic voice, bursting through the rock walls and landing in an action pose, along side his team mates._

_"Pen-GU-ins?!" Blowhole gasped, "But how did you...?" he turned to look at the lobster on CCTV._

_"Sorry boss...I was on break..." he whimpered in response._

_"Just you listen here, Blowhole!" the flat headed penguin ordered, "I'm not having you bursting into my HQ and terrorising my men, or my city! No dice!" _

_"Ugh, Skipper, I really have no time for this. Scheming to do, enemies to pulverise" the dolphin sighed, driving on his Segway, "But I'll leave you to make yourselves comfortable in my HQ... PERMANENTLY!"_

_He hit the self destruct button, before exiting with a cackle._

_"What about the HQ?!" a lobster panicked, scuttling along side his master._

_"Meh, I never liked this one anyway"._

_The walls shook and the ground quaked. The team of penguins were a bolt away from the exit, when Cleo shouted for help. The tallest penguin stopped and turned back. The walls began to crumble.._

_"Kowalski! This is no time for you to be admiring Blowhole's technology!" the flat headed penguin shouted anxiously, stopping in his tracks._

_"I'm not skipper, I thought I heard a voice..." the tallest frowned, straining to hear through the sounds of falling bricks._

_"Please, quick! Help!" Cleo shouted again, sounding even more distressed._

_"That! Did you hear it Skipper?!" he gasped._

_Cleo watched from the cage as she saw the flat headed penguin slide forward and stood up next to the tallest. She squinted her eyes to see through the cloud of demolition dust. She could faintly them sliding on their bellies towards her. __They scaled the tumbling walls and then perched on the outside of the cage. Cleo watched the penguin, who was in deep concentration, but then was distracted when he caught eye contact with her. She battered her eyelashes in admiration._

_"It's a lock, I need a paper clip to pick it"_

_"Damb it Kowalski, times like this I wish Rico had your brains" the flat headed penguin sighed._

_The other two penguins had returned after realising the other half of their team hadn't come out._

_"Skipper, Kowalski! Jump down!" the shortest called, while the other regurgitated a stick of dynamite and threw it at the chain. __It exploded and the chain snapped, allowing the cage to fall, which broke open when it hit the floor. Cleo rolled out of the cage and up onto her feet skilfully, and if they weren't too busy sprinting to the exit, the team would've been impressed. They leaped out of the lair just in time as the walls caved in and just left a pile of rubble and a dust cloud..._

* * *

"And that's what happened in my missing years" She sighed, ashamed.

"And that's why you were so hungry at the dinner table" Private latched on, the others glaring at him, "What? She said she was being starved..."

"We'll let the Major know and have your files corrected at dawn" the tallest sergeant dismissed, leaping out of the habitat followed by the shorter penguin sergeant.

"And that's when we met you..." Kowalski pondered.

"So you knew about Blowhole's plot to mind jack me and take over the city? How come you didn't report it?!" Skipper groaned.

"I was trying to! I had to bug the computer first so the plans could be sent to HQ" Cleo defended.

"Skipper, it's not fair to judge her when she was ambushed" Kowalski stepped in.

"Rule one of spying; never get caught" the leader said, coldly, before jumping back into the hatch. Cleo stared at the ground, only looking up when she felt a flipper on her back.

"It's okay, it's not as if _he's_ never been caught" Kowalski smirked, ushering her forward into the hatch.

Private and Rico were already inside.

"I don't see how this changes anything" Private started, "I mean she hasn't done anything wrong"

"I know, Private, I know..." Skipper sighed.

"I know it's a shock Skipper, but I didn't betray the team voluntarily...He tortured me for month, trying to break me, I had to give in...It pains me to say it, but I gave in..." Cleo inputted, close to tears.

"Cleo, this changes nothing...I apologise for snapping..." Skipper replied, guiltily.

"It's fine. I should've told you, all of you...Because, the truth is, Dr Blowhole likes to hold a grudge. I fear for as long as I am here that we're all in danger..."

"Then we'll face it together" Kowalski smiled, cuddling Cleo, "He's never defeated us before".

"Your right, and whatever happens, whatever has already happened, we are a team. We stick together in this unit" Skipper announced, regaining faith and getting to his feet, "Up high everyone!"

They began high fiving one another in rejoice.

"Snow cones?" Rico suggested.

"Ooh, good idea Rico! Let's move out team!" Skipper chuckled, dashing out the hatch with Private and Rico. Kowalski looked down at Cleo, his flippers still around her.

"Your more mysterious then I first comprehended"

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's very much attractive" he confessed. Cleo giggled, removing his flippers from her body and holding them instead.

"Have you ever considered..." she started.

"Giving us another go?" Kowalski smiled, hopefully. She raised a eye brow in suspicion.

"How did you know? Have you been talking to Skipper?"

"No. But it shows our minds are alike" he flirted, looking at her lovingly and holding her close. She smirked.

"So...?"

"So let's try again" Kowalski grinned, kissing her gently on the forehead. She battered her eyelashes as she dazed into his dilating pupils. At that moment Private fell through the hatch.

"Are you two coming?" he chirped, before feeling awkward at his interrupting. Kowalski and Cleo turned to him, removing their flippers from eachother and nodding.

Chapter 14 is coming soon. Sorry if it feels like its dragging out now... I'm planning to finish it soon maybe in a chapter or two. Will Dr Blowhole strike again? What will happen to Skipper when he has flashbacks from his own mysterious past?


End file.
